My Friend
by 8cheshirekat
Summary: [Prince of Tennis] [OishiKikumaru, high school years] Kikumaru is having mental problems with his past and present. Only Mei can save him, with a little help from Oishi, of course.
1. Seiyuu vs Hyotei

---Seiyuu High, classroom 1-D, Fuji Shusuke---

Fuji stared out the window. Where would he be without his friends? Would he still have the chance to be friends with so many people? He was a third-year, but what if he never made it this far? Would he still have known all thoes good times? It was Eiji who'd gotten him into poetry and writing. It was Taka who taught him to cook better things. It was Tezuka who showed him what true friendship was like. It was Ryoma who taught him to try new things.

"Fuji Shusuke, why don't you read us 'Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer's Day' by William Shakespear?"

"Yessir!" Fuji took up his book and stood up to read the poem.

---Seiyuu, Tennis Club Room, Oishi Shuichiro---

Oishi was changing into his tennis jersey when something fell out of the duffle bag. He put it up and then picked up the small keychain. He had forgotten all about this until today! It was Eiji's birthday gift for him. Mei, a teddy bear key chain that Oishi had carelessly stuffed in his duffle bag the day he got it. Eiji had seemed so down because of that, but Oishi didn't really care all to much. He gently placed it in his locker and qickly tied his shoe and grabbed up his raquet.

That bear was the last gift Kikumaru Eiji had ever given Oishi before his dissappearence act after the third quarter ended at Seigaku Academy. Oishi was also the last person to see Eiji. That teddy bear now meant more to the "mother" of the Seigaku Tennis Team because it was from the only person in the world he'd made best friends with.

---Hyotei Academy, tennis courts, Kikumaru Eiji---

"Serve!"

Kikumaru sat on the sides, his head bowed. With a heavy heart, he'd watched Oishi trample all over his gift like it meant nothing, but here he was, the top of his classes, the top of his Tennis Team, and in the top academy for sports, litarature, and arts. It was here that Kikumaru finally discovered how much his old friends liked him, which, to him, wasn't very much. His newest friends were also the best of his team.

"Kikumaru-sempai!"

"I'm ready!" Eiji's bright smile shone ever so kindly to his under classmate. "Don't fret, it's not that bad, Mono-chan!" Eiji waved away Monoke's constant chattering. "I just slipped, I didn't crack it that badly, Mono-chan! My ankle will be fine." He smiled warmly at Mono, his smile giving confidence to his friends and fear to his enimies. "Look, see. Just fine." Eiji swivvled his foot and smiled. "Nothing serious."

"I know, but you scare me, the way you play, Kikumaru-sempai."

Eiji patted Mono on the head as he walked past. Mono, although being a year younger than Eiji, he was almost as tall as the third-year. He'd come from Sapporo, Japan to be part of Hyotei Academy's best and brightest. He wasn't expecting to join the Tennis Team at all!

Eiji, on the other hand, was ready for the Tennis Team. He'd moved up to the vice-captain of the team, as well as half of the new Golden Pair. But he did still miss being Oishi's other half, even now, as he stepped out into the sun, letting it's warmth drench him in pleasent waves, even at a distance, it felt like Oishi was standing right behind him again. He was overjoyed to know that he could still play singles and doubles, not at the same time, but still quite good at them.

Eiji stretched back, his arms thrown high into the air and felt relived of his past few years and merrily put his raquet up, prepared to train his hardest, especially with this years competition, Seiyuu High.


	2. Mei

---Hyotei, after class, Inui Sadaharu---

He was sneaking around on Hyotei campus when he saw the one person he didn't expect, sitting with his hand pressed to his forehead, his face looking down into his lap--

---Hyotei, an hour before, Eiji---

Eiji was packing up his stuff and was humming to himself, flipping through the numbers on his cell. He was trying to find his house phone to see if his dad had left any messages. He picked up his duffell bag as the number dialed. No anser, just the machine. Eiji dialed the five to hear the messages on the phone. Instead of his dad's voice, he heard the soft rasping of someone being choked to death, as if the speaker was dying right there.

The phone slid out of Eiji's hands as the beep signaled the end of the message. His green eyes went wide and he quickly dialed his house again, pressed five and heard the same sound. He was frightened by this sound, pretty much to the brink of death scared. His insides turned and he ran for the bathroom.

He was puking up his breakfast and his lunch. His face was covered in sweat, sweat that began to drip off his face and down to the toilet, making him puke up what was left.

At the sink, he tried to calm himself. That wasn't his dad, that wasn't real, that was a figure of imagination. He washed out his mouth and rinsed off his hands. He composed himself again and went back outside, picking up his stuff and sitting by the courts as his club continued to train on the new routine he'd set up.

---Present---

"Eiji!"

At the sound of his name being called, Eiji slowly turned his head and an evil smile creased his lips. "Trying to sneak in, are we, Sadaharu-chan?" His voice was a little scarier than what Inui was used to, and he backed up a step. "What's wrong? Do I scare you? Good! Your not supposed to be on this campus!" Eiji stood up, his eyes glistening with anger. "You want to collect data on your opponents, fine! But do it where I can't see you! Or, in a place I can't hear you!"

Inui didn't know what else to do, so he took off, running out of sight. That face, those angry eyes, that evil snarl, that face wasn't Eiji's at all, it wasn't even human! Inui caught his breath and finally was able to look back around the corner at Eiji. The red-head was seated down again, hisbody back in the posture it had been in before. Inui watched as a tear fell off Eiji's nose and stained the dirt below.

"Eiji, you poor thing," Inui said, his voice a whisper on the wind. "You don't want to be there, but we can't help you from this distance. Let us help you, Eiji, and we'll make you feel better."

---Seiyuu, after practice, Oishi---

He was feeling great when he walked into the club room, but he wasn't completely ok. Oishi's hands found Mei and he feltthe breaking point in his heart as he looked at the red fur and the dark green eyes that so reminded him of his old doubles partner. He was in love with Eiji, not just friends. The last week anyone had seen Eiji, he was crushing on the other boy.

His mind whizzed around Eiji for a moment before he realized he was slumped on the ground and Tezuka and Fuji were standing over him, a look of shock and fear on their faces. They were reaching down to help him up when he dropped the fuzzy, red bear again. Time seemed to stand still for the trio as they watched it hit the ground and they all remembered Eiji's bright smiles andthe melody of his laughter.

Fuji suddenly began to cry, his tears splashing to the ground and echoing around them. He hid his face in Oishi's shoulder, his whole body shaking with all the sobs escaping him.Tezuka knelt down and picked up the bear and felt his own tears wanting to flow free, but the dam that held them there was on the verge of bursting. He looked over his shoulder at Oishi and Fuji as they settled to the ground again, watching him.

"Eiji..."

---Hyotei, Kikumaru---

Eiji sneezed as he was washing his hands off in the restroom. He looked up at his reflection once more and his eyes widened. He was deffinatly seeing things.

He was back in his first year, blood was splattered along the walls, shards of glass was spread all over the ground, the furinture of the house was destroyed...


	3. Blood and Glass

---Kikumaru residence, Kikumaru---

It was his first year at his new school. His father was raising him away from the rest of the family. Eiji happily stepped into his house. The front door was blocked off from the rest of the house.

"Dad! I'm home!" Eiji yelled as he kicked off his shoes. He picked his bag back up and walked into the living area.

It was there that he was shocked. His fingers became loose and his bag slipped out of his hands and landed on the floor. His bright green eyes widened as his pupils shrank at the sight before him.

The living room was desserted of human bodies, but blood and something yellow were smeared along the walls. The stench of blood seemed overwhelming and Eiji found himself on the verge of puking. His body began to shake as his feet slowly began to move into the room, revealing more and more of it. The windows were shattered and bloody, the vase that used to stand on the end table was smashed to bits on the ground, wood splinters and glass shards decked the walls and up-turned sofa and chairs.

"D-dad!" Eiji began to run. He grabbed the corner as he slid around the corner to the kitchen. This time, his insides turned so fast, the food and acids in his stomache spilled out like a fauset being turned on. He bent over and his eyes fogged.

The kitchen was a wreck as well. Knives lay bloody all over the floor and the smell of flesh and blood filled the air. The floor was nearly covered in blood. In the darkness, it looked like there was a body on the floor near the sink, on the other side of the kitchen beneath the window.

Eiji's fist slammed into the door frame. He felt anger boling up inside him. He knew that his dad was good at self-defense, but why would anyone try to harm a harmless person like that! He ran up the stairs in a fit of rage. He threw open door after door until he could smell the blood agian in the bathroom. He threw the door open and heard it hit something soft. He slammed the door shut and saw another body and heard a soft voice from the tub. He whirrled around and his rage vanished and reappeared as fear.

---Present---

"bushido? ja ne?"

Eiji's mind snapped back to reality as Mono's hands touched his arm. He saw his face was paler than ever. He took a deep breath and looked at Mono with a bright smile. "nani? gomen, gomen nasai, Mono-chan." He patted Mono on the shoulder and walked out into the fresh air. That message that was on the machine at home was probably a joke of some kind that his dad had put there. He sighed and beganthe longwalk home.

He looked up at the endlessly blue sky as a gust of wind picked up, blowing his chin-length hair around his face and ruffling his loose cloths with ease. He felt an endless abyss of lonelyness engulf him again. He shook his head and kept on walking. He had thought he'd heard Oishi calling him again, just like before, calling for him to slow down, but it was a figure of imagination, nothing real.


	4. The Cat's Eye

---Seiyuu High, Tennis Club Room, Fuji Yuuta---

He plopped dow on the benches to put his shoes on and was suprised to find a cell phone on the floor. When he picked it up, he noticed it was red, the same color was Eiji's phone. When he flipped it open, his eyes widened at what he saw.

---Japanese High School Nationals, Eiji---

He swung the raqute in practice and smiled to himself. Although he'd developed another half to himself, he wasn't going to just up and leavehis new friends. Although he missed his old frinds, he wasn't going to let his mind slip that far away that he'd forget what was important.

Being that tennis and poetry were the two things he was best at now, he was ready to face his team at the nationals in just a few moments. He and Sadaharu, the captain of the Hyotei High tennis team, were going doubles with each other against Fuji Shusuke and Oishi Shuchiro. He was seated by himself again, trying to come to terms with his other half. He was going to let Kikumaru come and play some of the game as well. Eiji's smile was faint as he heard the announcer call for the second game to comence.

---Clay Tennis courts, Sadaharu "Haru" Haku---

He looked over his shoulder at Eiji. He was sure that the vice-captain would be so ready to show his team what he could do, but Eiji's head was bowed and his cap hid his face in shadows. His red hair, which was a bit tangled, was a little springy as he stood up and walked up to stand beside Haru.

"Eiji-kouhai, are you sure your up to this? I can ask them to cancle the match."

"I can do this. Even with my injury that the coach caused me, I can still beat them." Eiji's head was raised again and he let some light shed itself onto his pale face. It flushed with joy when Eiji smiled. "I want to show them how good I've become! I don't want them to think I'm the same as before!"

"Now! Playing No. 1 Doubles! From Hyotei High School of Academics and Achivements, Captain Sadaharu Haku and Vice-Captain Kikumaru Eiji!"

The crowed roared at the name of Hyotei's best doubles pair. The roar was like a deafening white-noise. Haru's head dropped and he walked onto the court as Eiji waved a little and followed him onto the courts. The were streatching.

"Now! From Sieyuu High School of Athletics, Vice-Captain Oishi Shuchiro and Fuji Shusuke!"

The roar wasn't as loud, but it was definatly ackowledged.

The two came up to the net. Eiji was facing Shusuke. He held out his hand and smiled. "Good luck, Mr. Oishi-vice-captain." He shook Oishi's hand only once and Haru knew that look upon Eiji's face.

"Good luck, Fuji-san." Haru began to walk up with Eiji to the serve line. "What?"

"His grip, it's a little better, but that might still leave his lower shots wide open to failure." Eiji smiled. "I'll serve first. You be front server."

"Hyotei to serve! Game set match!"

Eiji threw the ball up and saw Oishi's foot shift right and knew that Oishi still thought Eiji served to the right of the recever. With a smirk, he threw the ball high and was able to flip around. His body built up momentum as his right leg swooped up and then back down as his whole body flipped and left his left leg planted on the ground. When he hit the ball, it became a blur of yellow and cofused Oishi. With a smirk, the red-head looked at the small scorch-mark left on the courts.

Haru had just been sitting there re-tying his shoe. He stood up and saw the suprise on the other two's faces. "Eiji's become really good at that serve. It's like the twist serve, only, the serve comes out so fast, you only have time to dodge, not think about hitting it. The Cat's Eye serve sees all."

"15-love! Hyotei to serve!"

Eiji threw the ball up again, but this time, he was using his left hand. When the ball came down, Eiji was coming around from right behind him and smacking it hard enough to make it a blur again, but Oishi was able to send it back.

Haru's raquet came up and he sent it on a spinning route right for the fair line. Fuji darted forward, but missed, somehow.

"30-love! Hyotei to serve!"

Tezuka was on his feet, as was the rest of the team. The first minute of the game and they were already down for the count! He'd never seen Eiji pull a serve like that! Nor had he seen such an easy shot be missed by Fuji! Something was horribly wrong! Yuuta was shaking all over. Everyone knew, Fuji would always hit the easiest shots with ease!


	5. Crimson Wings

hello... perhaps your all enjoying this? that's good! this chapter is all about Eiji! so, eiji will be doing a lot of action in this chapter! GO EIJI KIKUMARU! btw, eiji is my favorite character, so, i won't keep having him puke and see blood... I HAVE RAMBLED LONG ENOUGH! on to the story.

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---The last game of the No. 1 Doubles, standing still at a tie, Oishi---

The game had become a war of skills and witts. Soon, Haru and Fuji were down, but Eiji and Oishi still stood.

Oishi sent up his Moon Volley. Eiji smirked. "I've been waiting for that!"

Haru, suddenly realizing what was happening, whirrled around. "No! Eiji! Your shoulder! You can't hit it!"

Eiji smiled inoccently. "I don't care how much pain it costs me. I've suffered for this team, and I can suffer again." With those words ringing out, he raised his right arm, the raquet held high over his head and said, right before the ball came down, "I will always remember those who gave me the strength to keep going. I will never forget what my old friends did for me, nor what this new team has down for me. This is my payback to them all."

With a sickening CRACK! the raquet smashed into the Moon Volley's course and sent it flying back, straight for Oishi's face. At that same moment, the resonating sound came from Eiji's body. A blood soaked sleeve and the torn flesh revealed the prostetic shoulder blade in Eiji's body. His right shoulder blade was now out in the open, but his arm still moved. He was down on all fours when he raised his hand to the ref.

"I call a sudden death match, ref." Eiji stood up again, shaking his arm loose. "I will take up Hyotei's spot."

Haru smiled and relaxed some. "I'm sure that it'll brake the tie we have. Eiji, if you die, I'll resurect you and stab you to death for loosing, ya got that!" He ruffled Eiji's hair and put the cap back over Eiji's firey hair.

Oishi looked at Fuji and sighed. "I will take up Seiyuu's saddal, sir." Oishi walked over to Fuji. "You need to rest, go rest on the benches, I'll finish this game off. Now go." He gently took Fuji's arm and slowly took him to the benches, where he set him down and picked up his raquet. With a sigh, he looked over his shoulder at Eiji's bloody back. "My friend and love, I won't let you abandon what he had left."

Eiji turned to Oishi. With the lights from the ceiling and the position he was in, when he did turn around, Oishi and Fuji both saw an angel with blood dripping down his body and wings covered in blood. He was standing alone on the clay courts that lay behind him, his hair was longer, down to his shoulders, his eyes were sad and lonely, but he still seemed to be holding onto something very important to him.

Eiji came closer, helping Haru walk. "No more straining your ankle, Haru-dono." He set Haru down and smiled. "I honestly wasn't expecting it to come to this. It's amazing how long they can last in this weather of a storm we put them through. Now, I guess I have to close this horrid storm with a win or loss." Eiji's bright smile masked his pain and loneliness once more.

Oishi and Eiji returned to the courts, this time, Oishi shook Eiji's left hand and noticed the strong grip. He looked at Eiji in total shock and slowly reached out to Eiji with his heart. Eiji's eyes were cold and lonely, just like that angel that Oishi and Fuji had seen only moments before.

Eiji's face became stern. "I'm sorry for causing so much trouble, but this is always for the best. I honestly wasn't expecting this many wins by the last match. I was hoping that we'd loose to you, which will never happen now. Perhaps, this game, will show you what my stamina level is like now. I can last almost three games straight before my shoulder bleeds. Which means you and Fuji have gotten a lot stronger and quicker, but nothingI can't handel." He tipped his hat down and his smile faded for good. "I want to tell you something after the game."

---

It came down to the last serve. Eiji was breathing heavily, as was Oishi. The two were neck and neck for the lead. Oishi threw the ball up for the serve and smacked it with all his might. Eiji knew his right arm was blown and switched the raquet to his left hand and watched the balls path and managed to send it back.

Oishi heard Haru say; "Now Eiji's gone a little to far. His left hand is to powerful, he'll win this match, hands-down! He promised he wouldn't use his natural arm."

Oishi ignored this and hit the ball with all his might. This time, Eiji flipped the raquet. Instead of hitting it with the net on the raquet, he hit it with the handle, sending it back with almost double the force. When it was returned to him, he used the butt-end of the raquet and sent it on a spinning path back to Oishi. It swung left, but seemed to curve right and Oishi almost lost it, but managed to throw it back.

With a whistle, Eiji smiled and whipped the raquet around, swinging it high and sending a vipre back at Oishi. "I'm sorry for trying so hard, but I'm not down yet." He smiled. "I do plan on remembering who was better back at Seigaku. And I do plan to let you see my best move yet." Eiji raised his left arm high over his head as Oishi shot the next hit right to Eiji's feet.

Without warning, Eiji raised his head to the heavens and brought his raquet down. With a swing and an ear-splitting SNAP the ball became a sever streak of yellow across the courts. Eiji was low to the ground, his raquet was broken and his arms were blood stained and in fists. He was slowly falling onto all fours, his hat quite far behind him. He looked up at Oishi and smiled as he pointed.

Oishi turned around and saw the tennis ball was stuck in the rail above them. The railing was bent slightly and his eyes widened at the power Eiji had thrown into that hit. He turned back to the read-head who smiled and whispered; "I missed again, right? I keep missing, Oishi-san. I'm sor...ry." He fell down and his eyes slid closed. His head fell to the side and his body collapsed as his breath became ragged.

The air seemed to get heavy and unbreathable for Oishi as Eiji's fans in the crowd said nothing. The white noise that had greeted Oishi's win was killed by Eiji's collapse. The scilence filled the air and made it even heavier than before. Haru, being the first to find himself ran out there to check up on Eiji's health.

"Eiji! I told you not to over work yourself like that!" Haru quickly picked Eiji up and began to pour his water on the open wound on Eiji's back and slowly began to was the crimson liquid from the vice-captain's back. "Yuki! Yuki, we need a medical team!"

Yuki and Kaidoh had found their legs and voice once more, but Oishi was still lost and voiceless. Without another thought, is raquet slipped and he ran forward, running to Eiji's side, just like before. Just like... Just like he would have years ago...

* * *

**a/n**: OK! now, onto the next chapter! i promise i won't keep doing that. the romantic Oishi/Eiji moment is comming up in the next chapter! I SWEAR UPON MY LIFE! eiji and oishi will have a cute moment at the hospital and--shuts up won't ruin it, sorry... anyhow! catch ya later!

the butt of the raquet , for those who don't know, is the very bottom of the raquet.


	6. Stained Glass

ok! now it's time for some Oishi/Kikumaru fulffyness! and love... anyhow! on to the chapter

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---Hospital Room 536, Eiji and Oishi---

The white bandages covering his shoulder were stained with a soft glow of red. It was as if the red blood didn't want to stop. An oxygen mask covered Eiji's nose and mouth as his foreheadandeyes were covered in bandages. Every now and then, his hands would clump into fists and he would say something that was barely heard.

Oishi sat there, bitting his fingernails, hoping nothing was wrong with Eiji. The little red teddy bear rested on his knee and his eyes constantly watching Eiji's hands. He felt at a loss. He wanted to help Eiji, but he couldn't find the strength to help the strongest person he'd ever met. He was in love with Eiji, but he wasn't about to let go of everything that meant a lot to Eiji.

The door opened and Oishi looked up and was shocked.

From a distance, you could easily mistake Eiji's father with Eiji. They both had red hair and they were both athletically fit. His father had blue eyes, which meant Eiji got his eye color from his mother. Kikumaru-san was dressed like a buissness man and was out of breath, and his glasses were askrew. He caught his breath as he saw Eiji's bound body and almost collapsed, but he managed to catch himself before he fell.

"Are you Oishi?" His voice was gentle and soft, like something out of a fairy tale. "Eiji used to talk alot about somebody named Oishi, and you fit the discription quite well." He smiled as he sat down beside Oishi and touched his son's unclenched hand and his eyes became soft and sad, almost as if Eiji was already dead, like Eiji was already gone. "I don't understand why he didn't tell me. Eiji never told me a lot of things, but this is a first for both my physical body and emotinal mind. Ah, and old man will ramble on." He smiled as he turned to Oishi.

Oishi felt somehting inside of him burst as he saw Kikumaru-san turn to him with that smile. It was Eiji, in all his happiness and joy as he reached back for Oishi. He closed his eyes tight and felt someone take his face in their hands. He opened his eyes, seeing Kikumaru-san instead of Eiji-kun. "I-I'm Oishi Sh-Shuchiro, Kikumaru-san."

"That nice. You are a handsome young man. Eiji was right in liking you." He released Oishi and stood up. "I'm going to go find someone who can tell me where the doctor went." He edged past Oishi, brushing his hand along Oishi's hair and closed the door behind him.

Eiji stirred again and this time, not his light stirring, he thrashed out reaching out for something. His hand was trying to grab imaginary cloth that seemed to far away from him. His scream echoed off the walls. He was calling someone, calling for someone who was beyond his reach.

"O-Oishi!" It slipped past his lips and out into the world. He kept reaching for that invisible person that wasn't there. "O-Oishi! Sh-Shuchi-chiro!" He kept groping the air, his hands starting to slow down as the bandages over his eyes began to stain dark with his tears and he slowly began to calm down, weeping.

Oishi, out of no where, darted forward and grabbed Eiji's hand as it began to fall back to the bed. He gently placed it agianst his face and whispered that everything was going to be ok. "Eiji, don't worry, don't worry. Everythings going to be ok. Don't cry."

Eiji's weeping continued as he gripped Oishi's hand so hard that his knuckles turned white and his hand and arm shook violently "Shui-ichiro?" He whispered just loud enough so that it could be heard through the mask. He slowly reached up with his other hand and touched Oishi's face, his hands shaking with shock. He ran his fingers over the crevest of each line on Oishi's face, every curve of his beauty, every inch of his smooth skin. "A-am I-I g-going t-to be o-ok?"

"Ye... yes, Eiji-kun, your going to be ok." Oishi felt tears pile up in his eyes as he felt Eiji's hands roaming his face. "You need to stop crying so much, Eiji-kun." He leaned down and gently removed the oxygen mask and gently kissed Eiji as Eiji embraced him.

They stayed like that, Eiji holding onto Oishi for dear life and Oishi tenderly kissing him, and playfully twining his fingers in the red locks of hair. After a moment, Oishi gently pulled back so he could breath and found Eiji was still crying. "Eiji!"

"Oishi makes Eiji happy." Eiji smiled and gently wrapped his arms tighter and held Oishi close to him. "Eiji is crying because Eiji can be loved and happy!" With those words Eiji gave Oishi a tight squeeze before his hands fell back down tothe bed. One lay beside his head, the other rested beside him. "Eiji is so happy."

Oishi calmed himself and sat down as the door was thrown open. Haru ran over and grabbed Eiji's hand gently. "Eiji!"

"He's ok. He's still awake."

"No!" Haru glared at Oishi. "You don't understand! He's not ok! He's still crying!" As if to prove his point, Haru ripped away the bandages to rveal fresh tears falling all over the pillows and his red hair. "He's not ok! You don't know Eiji like I do! He's not ok... He's broken... Just like glass..." Haru sank down onto one knee and stroked Eiji's hair gently. "He lives with me and my mom with his dad. He never had an older brother, so I became his brother, and we became friends. Eiji told me about the day he came home and his father had been attacked. He's still crying because of that. He waited this long to..."

Eiji had opened his eyes and put his freehand over Haru's mouth. "NO! NO! NO!" He threw Haru back and sat up. His hands came up over his ears and hispupils shrank back and his eyes widened. He clamped a hand over his mouth as he began to puke up onto the sheets. "N-no! Haru, don't tell him, pleae!" Eiji was pleading with Haru, gripping Haru's shirt so hard his hands began to bleed and his tears fell everywhere.

Oishi sighed and touched Eiji on the shoulder. "If you don't want to tell me, Eiji-kun, I don't want to hear it, ok? If it's something that personal, I don't want to know until your ready to tell me." He smiled.

Eiji turned to him and clung to Oishi's shirt and rested his head on Oishi's chest, listening to the soft rythm of his heart. "O-okay." He sniffed and closed his eyes and relaxed.

Haru sighed and ran a hand through his fringed brown hair and sat down on the bed, after moving the vomit covered blanket away, and patted Eiji on the back. "I'm sorry, I forgot how much that memory hurts. Ah! This must be Mei!" He gently picked the little red bear off of Oishi's lap. "She_is_ so ADORABLE!" He cuddled with it for a moment before he clipped it to Eiji's ear. "Look! Twins, Eiji-nii! Twins!"

---In the hall, the old team---

Eiji's laughter rang out and Inui almost fell over in delight, hugging Kaidoh Karou of course. Fuji smiled warmly and his brother yipped with joy.

Tezuka, Takashi, and Momoshiro all stood there in shock as the laughter got louder and louder. Momo shook his head and patted Taka on the head. "Oishi is _way_ out of your leauge. I'm sure Eiji will still be friends with you."

Taka looked a little sad, but otherwise, perfectly fine. "Oh, it's ok. I know that Eiji's very happy right now, and thats what I want, Eiji to be very happy." Taka gently knocked on the door and pushed it open to see a doggy pile on the ground and laughed.

Eiji was being tackled by Haru and Oishi, who were attempting to tickle him to death. Eiji had currently kicked the bed and gotten his foot stuck, so they were trying to untangle his foot. Eiji looked upsidedown at him and smiled. "Hi! Why are you standing on the roof?"

That did it, Oishi and Haru gave up trying to untangle his leg and collapsed, along with Taka, laughing until they were crying.

Eiji was definatly going to be ok, especially with Oishi to help him... And his brother Haru, and his blood brothersHaku, and Ichigo... And the little bear clipped to his ear, Mei.


	7. Shooting Stars

---Recreational Tennis Court, Eiji, a few days after he got out of the hospital---

Eiji was lying there on the bench, looking up into the endless abyss of blue above him. He had one arm slung across his forehead and the other dangling on the side of the bench, his shirt soaked with sweat. He kept pushing himself, even when he didn't have to, but he wanted to be better than Ryoma or Fuji, but he didn't want to leave Oishi behind.

He sat up and wondered if he'd ever imagined this about himself. He wondered if he'd ever imagined being someone so great with so little power on his own will, if he'd ever wanted to be more, if he'd ever wanted to grasp something that he just couldn't reach yet, or was it something he'd built up over the ages?

As he looked up to the skies he remembered...

---Seigaku Tennis Courts, Eiji, just after he and Oishi made up after their fight---

He had just been staring up at the sky when he bowed his head again.

He had snuk back onto the courts and was seated on a bench to the right of the courts. He was sweaty with the towel drapped over his head and was staring at the spot where the sweat was dripping.

"I wonder... I wonder if i'll be able to finally play singles some day? I don't know if I can stay here at Seigaku or go to Seiryuu with everyone else." He smiled. "Either way, I WANT TO BEAT YOU SOMEDAY ECHIZEN RYOMA!"

---Present, Eiji, walking home---

He smirked. Yup, he was going to beat Ryoma someday, but not today. He was flipping through his keys, trying to find his house key and unlocked the door, stepping in.

He set his bag on the side so he could change into bedroom slippers. He passed the phone and hit the answering machine's NEW button and listened to some person request his father's tending tallents or some woman requesting that the Kikumaru duo come to entertain her tennis friends. Just when Eiji was getting bored of it and about to press the button, he heard Tezuka's voice.

"Hey, Eiji! If you get this message, then please, come to Seiyuu tomorrow, and--" He was cut off.

"--COME ASAP!" Only to be replaced by Momo. "And please don't be--"

"--extremely late," It was Oishi.

"Or we will--" Taka began.

"--stalk you until you--" Fuji continued.

"--decide to come!" Yuta finished. Then he whispered, "Or my brother will stalk you until he die, hee hee."

Eiji stood there listening to them argue over the phone and smiled to himself. They were using Oishi's cell phone to call.

Kaidoh and Inui's voices broke Eiji's thoughts. "Come quickly tomorrow morning! We wish to see you again and give you a gift!"

Then, the whole team spoke, saying; "We miss you, Eiji-chan! Come and see us, please!" Then the beep that signaled the end of that message and the begining of the next, Oishi.

"Eiji-kun, I know that last message was lame, but please come, ok? It's really important."

That was the end of the messages.

Eiji stood there and kinda shook his head, his smile widening. He picked the phone up and dialed Oishi's cell and left a message and went running up the stairs and flung himself into his big teddybear with glee. He was uber happy and he couldn't stop himself from happily squealing in delight before snatching up some clean cloths and hopping in the shower.

---Kunimitsu residence, Tezuka's room, Tezuka---

He was trying to figure out a problem when his cell rang. He stared at it for a sec and saw it was Oishi.

"konichiwa?" He listened to scilence and was about to hang up when Oishi happily replied. "ja ne! nani, nani!"

"Eiji-kun! Eiji-kun said yes!" Oishi hung up before Tezuka could say anything.

Tezuka sighed and turned his phone off and dropped it beside his textbooks. He stared at it for a moment and then at his half-finished arithmatic problem and sighed. "Gee, Oishi sure seemed happy. Maybe... NOO!" Tezuka shook his head and took his glasses off before he fell back on the floor and stared up at the roof. "No way that..."

"Tezuka-chan! Phone!"

"Coming, haha!" He sighed and got up. "Why does she always want to yell! We do have an intercome, haha dearest." He picked the phone up. "Hello?"

---Fuji recidence, Shusuke's room, Yuta and Shusuke---

They had just finished their english papers when the phone rang. Fuji's haha answered the phone and told her sons it was for them and left.

"konichiwa, Shusuke-san speaking..."

---Oishi residence, Shuichi's room, Suichi---

He had just finished his History of the Arts essay when his chichi told him he had a phone call.

Oishi picked up the phone. "hai?"

---Sushi shop, Momoshiro, Takashi, Inui, Kaidoh---

Momo heard Kaidoh's phone ring. Everyone stared at him as he answered his phone.

"hai, Kaidoh Karou speaking."

---All the Seigaku Tennis Players---

"NANI!"

Eiji held the phone away from his ear. When they had stopped yelling "nani" at him, he brought the phone closer again. "hai, now." He smiled and listened to them whispering. "Eiji-chan, oujisama no baka!" He hung up and slipped on his shoes and humbled locked the door behind him. He was going to finally be part of their team again, be part of something bitter once more.

The velvet black sky twinkled with little stars as Eiji traced a shooting star and made a whish and prayed for the fallen soul as he took off for the tennis courts of the Seiyuu school, his laughter ringing through the air as he saw his old friends filing in from everywhere and surrounding him and playfully nudging him whilst they all laughed.

High above them, stars shot down, releasing souls that had been trapped for ages around this small contenent called Japan...

* * *

tada! all done! i will be putting up my own notes on someof the words i placed in here... but it'll be all akwardness, as i might need to have to rewrite my linnear notes for this fic a_ll gloomy now_ and it's going to be a pretty long linnear note for it, wah... ANYHOW! leave me a review on whatcha think! 


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